“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

⁶ “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Don’t Judge

Jesus, I am afraid of being judged.  However, I also judge.  I break off relationship when I think that someone has failed me or judged me in some way.  I reach conclusion about people too easily sometimes.  Ironically, I dn’t have the Myers-Briggs ‘judging’ personality (humanmetrics.com).  However, I still look down on others sometimes and even foster contempt for them.  I thin of John MacArthur who preaches on the radio.  I find him cold and judgmental.  Ironically because of my fear of his attitudes about worldview I let my fear judge him.  I can discern that his views about integration are wrong without writing him off as a biblical communicator.

Jesus, wrest away my fears.  It is often out of fear that I judge.  I condemn others before they condemn me.  I see them as cruel and hurtful people.  I even think that way too much about members of my own household.  Actually, I especially fear the hurt from members o my own household.  I have my defences up against them and I have a steady judgement on them against my better judgemnent.

I see that my father did condemn and pronounce strong judgment on his home.  He called us irresponsible, stupid, weak and selfish.  Now for fear that others will find these things to be true, I pronounce judgment first.  Help me to heal from childhood patterns.  Help me to deal with the fear and end the judgment.  I need to trust you to be able to trust those around me now.  If the fear dissipates we will cease to wound each other.

Questions

1. What does Jesus tell us not to do?
2. How do we cease judging but not lack judgement?
3. What does judging someone have to do with our view of self and others?
4. Who have you condemned?
5. In your view, what are some common justifications people give when they judge (e.g. think of a man who has had an affair, or a woman who has killed a child)?